Dan Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I feel your pain. Year after year after, we read the press about this or that others' teams LB making this or that big play and a difference. A good set of LBs - 3-4 or 4-3, really can get a team back into the mix. I'm not going to bother to research, but my seat-of-the-pants opinion is that BUF is one of the leagues' poor sisters in going after LB talent, at least ones with a bit of promise and of some size. They just don't seem to grasp the idea that while it is nice if the DL gets rb stops and a sack now and then, that the DL is there to push the pocket, harry the qb into an errant pass, reduce a rb's choices, and mess up timing and so giving the backfield an edge in coverage. And set up the lbs for a sure stop on a rb or short/mid zone passes to receivers, with a minimum of gain. I was really surprised that they didn't pull the trigger on Maualuga in the 1st round. He beat out Rashad Jeanty for a starting spot after a battle throughout the preseason at CIN - and Jeanty is a good LB (fourth on tackles last season for them; 2nd on ST tackles.) The Bills' D was crying out for a LB with impact - rookie or not. I shake my head at the Maybin pick. He may end up as dynamite, but IMO they shouldn't have picked for potential over current need. 2 cents... Agree completely. I was firmly in the "get a LB" this past off season. IMO, Oline and LB were the 2 single biggest needs we had, easily. They addressed the line... sorta. But, did absolutely nothing to help the LB position. And low and behold the defense is suffering because of it. IMO, they should have kept Walker - as an emergency RT; funny how that would be beneficial now. And brought in a serious upgrade to Ellison. They did neither. Oh well. The season was fun while it lasted... I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 He'll bring back Dockery to play MLB. John Geeeeee... another that needs to be kicked to the corner of Abbott and SWestern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Agree completely. I was firmly in the "get a LB" this past off season. IMO, Oline and LB were the 2 single biggest needs we had, easily. They addressed the line... sorta. But, did absolutely nothing to help the LB position. And low and behold the defense is suffering because of it. IMO, they should have kept Walker - as an emergency RT; funny how that would be beneficial now. And brought in a serious upgrade to Ellison. They did neither. Oh well. The season was fun while it lasted... I guess. Dumping Walker had to be a cash-saving move somehow on the face of it, else there was something else going on we will never know about...we know nothing about the contract language, except the signing bonus pocketed by the player, the duration, projected price, etc. Trying him at LT was odd, but I don't blame them for giving it a try. So it didn't work out - ok then. Walker may not be an All-Pro RT, but he was at worst, a reasonably competent, savvy vet at RT. Given their tackle woes, it's surprising that he's not back on the squad. I wonder if hard words were exchanged when he was axed. Dunno. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy in 4C Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Patrick Willis was not available when we drafted. Period. Guessing what we would have/could have done based on public comments about our draft is moronic. Nobody will EVER tell the truth immediately after their draft. Teams will support the guy they drafted and whoever they drafted was the guy they wanted all along. Which is what they SHOULD do. There are lots of faults with our coaching and drafting staff, but blaming them for something that they "wouldn't do" in a hypothetical situation is moronic. Dick Jauron is on record saying they wouldn't have picked him if he was available. Period. They never heard of trading up? There also was a certain Adrian Peterson picked three picks in front of the Bills also, with many teams looking to trade out of those slots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Dumping Walker had to be a cash-saving move somehow on the face of it, else there was something else going on we will never know about...we know nothing about the contract language, except the signing bonus pocketed by the player, the duration, projected price, etc. Trying him at LT was odd, but I don't blame them for giving it a try. So it didn't work out - ok then. Walker may not be an All-Pro RT, but he was at worst, a reasonably competent, savvy vet at RT. Given their tackle woes, it's surprising that he's not back on the squad. I wonder if hard words were exchanged when he was axed. Dunno. Agreed again. I didn't mind trying him at LT. Why not? And even then when he's not working out - supposedly in part because he couldn't keep up with the pace of the no huddle; lord knows we run that thing at break neck speeds - he was just cut. Seemed odd, to say the least. I was thinking... why not just keep him on as backup RT. If the situation arises, as it has, that he needs to see significant time at RT, then just go back to huddling up. Yeah it's maybe not ideal but its better than the alternative of having Scott or some other practice squad scrub filling in. I guess that's why we're not HC/GM material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Agreed again. I didn't mind trying him at LT. Why not? And even then when he's not working out - supposedly in part because he couldn't keep up with the pace of the no huddle; lord knows we run that thing at break neck speeds - he was just cut. Seemed odd, to say the least. I was thinking... why not just keep him on as backup RT. If the situation arises, as it has, that he needs to see significant time at RT, then just go back to huddling up. Yeah it's maybe not ideal but its better than the alternative of having Scott or some other practice squad scrub filling in. I guess that's why we're not HC/GM material. Yep! I know I chunter on about the B'gals. That's the team here, so I've been treated to their antics through the years. It has been instructive, though. They readily established the baseline about what not to do, ever since Paul Brown passed on. Though it saddens me to say - the Bills' organization is starting to emanate the same smell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchammer Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1...a5-7520a6b2b3fb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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